LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN

MACE MOUNTAIN

MOUNT BAILEY

MOUNT SCOTT

MOUNT THIELSON

1933: This site was selected for a lookout, however, no structure was constructed.

NINEMILE MOUNTAIN

Siskiyou National Forest - 32S-9W-13

OAK FLATS

Umpqua National Forest -26S-2E-24

OLD BLUE

Douglas FPA - 24S-8W-05

no date - Douglas FPA Collection

1982 - La Vaughn Kemnow photo

2005 - Douglas FPA photo

1938: "Recommendations: The warden station in section 3 T24S R7W should be moved to the top of Old Blue Mountain, in section 5 T24S R8W, where it can be used as a fireman-lookout station. In order to give the station proper communications it will be necessary to built about seven miles of telephone line from Bateman Lookout in section 5 T25S R8W to Old Blue Mtn. This will give a very excellent coverage for this district." (Douglas FPA - Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1938)

1955: "A new 14 x 14 foot lookout house on a 50 foot treated tower was constructed on Old Blue at a cost of $3,841.43." (Douglas FPA - Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1955)

June 2007: The lookout was declared unsafe for occupancy and was removed, to be replaced by a camera detection system.

OLD FAIRVIEW

Douglas FPA - 25S-2W-25

no date - Douglas FPA Collection

1956: "A new 14 x 14 lookout house and a 50 foot treated timber tower was purchased for Old Fairview. The tower was completed this fall and the house will be built before fire season next year. The cost of lookout to date $2,857.37." "3/4 mile of new road constructed to the new lookout on Old Fairview." (Douglas FPA - Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1956)

1976: The lookout was dismantled and parts were salvaged for use in the new Mt. Scott lookout. (Douglas FPA - Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1976)

PICKETT BUTTE

Umpqua National Forest - 30S-1W-29

PIG IRON

Umpqua National Forest - 26S-4E-32

QUARTZ MOUNTAIN

Umpqua National Forest -28S-1E-02

August 1940 - Umpqua National Forest (S.O.)

August 10, 1933: Panorama photos were taken by Moe and Birchall. Only the 60 degree view was taken.

September 14, 1933: "A 10 x 10 lookout house is to be constructed by the CCC before the snow flies. A 10 x 10 is the standard size for a secondary lookout." (Roseburg Chieftain)

February 24, 1937: "Not long ago, Pilot Joseph Smith, flying a transportation plane over a west coast route, was on a northbound trip from San Francisco to Seattle, and accidentally dropped his sun goggles out the window of the pilot's compartment in the nose of the plane. Caught in the terrific wind stream, the goggles were gone in an instant, fell 6,000 feet and were lost in the immense Umpqua forest. On his next trip, Pilot Smith dropped a note to the forest fire lookout station on Quartz mountain, requesting them to look for the goggles, and two weeks later they were found and returned to him -- unbroken. Howard Church, of the lookout station lives in Roseburg, Ore., was the finder." ('Believe It Or Not! By Ripley' Nebraska State Journal)

RED MOUNTAIN

c.1921: The lookout was established in a tree with the observer 25 feet above the ground.

1928: A standard D-6 cupola style lookout cabin was constructed.

June 17, 1930: "Active preparations for the summer fire season on the Umpqua national forest are now being made. H.P. Looney, lookout on Red Mountain, which commands a view of the South Umpqua district, is already at his station, being the first of the lookouts to be assigned to duty." (Roseburg News Review)

September 5, 1931: "H.P. Looney, forest service lookout at Red Mountain, reported today the unusual occurrence of seeing a family of wolves, a male and female and five half grown pups. Hunters say that it is very unusual to see a wolf in the woods, as they usually are able to avoid being seen, unless cornered by dogs. He believes that the pups were being taught to hunt, judging from the actions of the group. They spent considerable time on the divide, and he was able to reach the lookout station and procure a gun, with which he killed the male and one of the pups." (Roseburg News Review)

April 1932: "On or about September 1, our lookout, Henry Looney, on Red Mt., while taking a look around, saw 7 wolves; the old ones and 5 pups. He made a hurried dash for his gun, took a shot at the big one, and one shot was plenty. In a few minutes more Mr. Looney called the telephone operator at Tiller and said, 'Humidity 43, and I killed another wolf.' There is a bounty on wolves. This proves to all of us that there are still a few wolves left, and it furnished some unexpected excitement for Looney and all the folks along the telephone line that day. P.S. Pieper" (Six Twenty-Six)

August 16, 1933: Panorama photos were taken by Moe and Rittenhouse.

1985: The lookout structure was moved to the Tiller Ranger Station where the building was restored and is currently used as a point of interest and interpretive display.

REYNOLDS RIDGE

Umpqua National Forest - 25S-2E-24

August 1941 - Umpqua National Forest (S.O.)

July 2007 - Ron Kemnow photo

1931: A three wire, one pole, pasture fence was constructed for a cost of $12.76.

1932: An additional $108.46 was expended on pasture fencing.

August 20, 1933: Panorama photos were taken by Cooper and Sarlin.

September 14, 1933: "A 10 x 10 lookout is to be built by the CCC before the snow flies. The 10 x 10 is the standard size for a secondary lookout." (Roseburg Chieftain)

August 2 & 3, 1936: A new set of panorama photos were taken by Rittenhouse. Of the three sets of panoramas taken, two were marked 'special'.

ROMAN NOSE MOUNTAIN

SCARE RIDGE

Western Lane FPA - 21S-9W-01

October 1982 - La Vaughn Kemnow photo

1948: "Constructed a 14 x 14 cabin on a 30 foot tower at Scare Creek Ridge. The Gardner Division of the Long-Bell Lumber Company built two miles of protective road to connect Scare Ridge Lookout with the Smith River road system. Costs of lookout construction; materials $1365.20; labor $624.49." (1948 Annual Report to the Oregon Department of Forestry)

August 27, 1951: "The Western Lane fire patrol dispatcher reported crews backfiring Monday to save the Scare Ridge lookout station after the Vincent creek fire blew up on the northwest corner Sunday night. About 1,000 men were fighting the flames which had covered an estimated 27,000 to 30,000 acres. One fire fighter was taken to a Reedsport hospital after he was injured by a falling snag. The state forester's office at Salem said there was hope the blaze could be trailed Monday. Lines set up by the U.S. forest service on the west side were holding." (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)

August 22, 1966: "A 17-year-old Eugene girl, Sherry Lee Robinson, was evacuated from a lookout tower Saturday night on Scare Creek Ridge, located near the northwest edge of the fire. Miss Robinson was brought out of the area as a precautionary measure, according to a spokesman for the Western Lane Forest Protective Association at Veneta." (Eugene Register-Guard)

1973: The lookout was removed. During the life of this tower, two forest fires were survived.

SHIRLEY GAP

Umpqua National Forest - 24S-2W-32

SHIVIGNY MOUNTAIN

Douglas FPA - 26S-2W-34

no date - Douglas FPA Collection

1935 - Umpqua National Forest (S.O.)

1933: Tom Scanlon, lookout, is established at a tent camp lookout.

September 14, 1933: "A 14 x 14 lookout is to be constructed by the CCC before the snow flies." (Roseburg Chieftain)

September 21, 1933: "A CCC crew from Wolf Creek camp is still encamped on the side of Shivigny Mountain where they are working at the upper end of the new trail from Little River. They expect to meet a crew working from the lower side this week after which they will improve the upper end of the trail just below the camp, and then improve the trail leading from there to Thunder Mountain. Additional men will be sent up this week to start work on a 10 x 10 lookout on the site of the temporary tent lookout at the north side of Shivigny Mountain, which overlooks the North Umpqua River region." (News Review)

1978: The lookout was dismantled in the fall and will be re-erected at Baughman Point the next season.

SILICA MOUNTAIN

Umpqua National Forest > Douglas FPA -23S-1W-34

1940 - Umpqua National Forest (S.O.)

1920: A lookout was established in a tree 30-feet above the ground.

September 12, 1927: "Cliff Van Schoiack, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Van Schoiack of Dorena, who has been acting as emergency lookout in the Umpqua forest service, stationed at Silica mountain, is home for the winter and will enter high school." (The Eugene Guard)

September 19, 1927: "At Silica Mountain we find George Hewitt and Frank Coons building a Ranger Shelter at the foot of the mountain, getting their material in the manner already described. On top of the mountain, a mile and a half or more by trail from the ranger shelter, all preparations have been made for a ranger to make his home there during such time as may be required during fire season. No lookout remains there, however, except by special order or when a lightning storm is expected or in progress. A tall fir has been cut off 60 feet from the ground and on top of this is a perch in which the fire finding equipment has been placed. The perch is reached by a ladder built up the side of thew tree from material found at hand and firmly attached at intervals to the tree. I didn't make the 60-foot ascent at first attempt, but I learned afterward that some of the rangers make more than one trial the first time, and then I didn't feel so foolish. Looking down 40 or 50 feet from a position on a ladder rising perpendicularly doesn't give courage to one not used to high climbing and the remaining 10 or 20 feet looks like a heck of a ways." (The Sentinel)

July 21, 1933: "A CCC crew from Brice Creek camp, under Barney Shattuck, left for Silica Monday to do maintenance work on trails and telephone lines." (The Sentinel)

August 12, 1933: Panorama photos were taken by Rittenhouse.

Note: This site was originally on the Umpqua National Forest but later was operated by the Douglas County Fire Patrol.

SILVER BUTTE

Douglas FPA - 31S-6W-23

no date - Douglas FPA Collection

September 2006 - Ron Kemnow photo

1923: A cupola style lookout house was erected atop 10-feet of log cribbing.

August 17, 1933: Panorama photos were taken by Arnst and Birchall.

September 25, 1934: "Elmer Dent, of Roseburg, passed through town Thursday on his way to Silver Peak to take charge of the Silver Butte lookout station, relieving Bill Brown, who is leaving to attend Oregon State College this winter." (News-Review)

1936: "The present lookout house on Silver Butte is of log construction, built a number of years ago, has depreciated to such an extent it is of little value." (Douglas FPA - Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1936)

1937: "Recommendations: The construction of a new lookout house on Silver Butte. The house should be built on a 25 foot tower. All material and labor covering the above recommendation should be furnished by the CCC camps." (Douglas FPA - Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1937)

1941: "A new lookout should be built at Silver Butte. The material is now on hand to construct this lookout but some new road and trail will have to be built to move the material to the lookout point." (Douglas FPA - Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1941)

1942: "A 14 x 14 standard lookout house and a 28 foot tower was constructed at Silver Butte, cost $184.00 for materials. Most of the work was done by the CCC." (Douglas FPA - Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1942)

September 9, 1942: "The Army has requested that Silver Butte be activated as yearlong AWS observation post as soon as possible." (Letter to State Forester from James Frankland, USFS Engineer)

September 10, 1942: "Silver Butte observation post is connected by 12 miles of Association grounded line from Riddle commercial switchboard. We are informed that this switchboard is not open for 24-hour service so it is apparent that a better line of communication must be opened up. The Army informs us that it would be advisable to obtain direct connection with Roseburg if this can be done. The Army does not usually request a telephone company to give 24-hour service at a switchboard which serves only one post, such as Silver Butte. An alternative would be to report via radio through the Marshfield relay station which operates a standby radio at all times. It would be appreciated if Warden Southwick would contact the telephone company and then inform us if a direct connection can be made. Since sufficient radio sets will be available after the fire season, this means of communication could be used." (Letter to State Forester from James Frankland, USFS Engineering)

September 11, 1942: "The construction of a 12' x 15' building has been approved for AWS purposes on Silver Butte in Douglas County. The lookout site is located about one-half mile from the end of the present road and it will necessitate the packing of the material for the cabin the last half mile. Mr. Southwick advises me that the right of way was cleared by the CCC on the top and for about $200.00 or $300.00 he could extend the road to the lookout. This would enable him to haul the material to the building site and it would also provide a service road for the winter. The cost of packing the material in by horse would no doubt cost nearly as much as constructing the road." (A letter from the Oregon State Board of Forestry to James Frankland, USFS)

September 12, 1942: "Use of $300 AWS funds for construction of the one-half mile of road to the Silver Butte Lookout is approved." (Memo from James Frankland, USFS, to the State Forester)

October 16, 1943: Effective 1800 hours this date the Army deactivated this AWS post.

1958: The radio number for this station was 502. The telephone connections were through Pacific Telephone to the Roseburg headquarters.

1960: "The new type lookout house roof was installed on Silver Butte Lookout at a cost of $428.53." (Douglas FPA - Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1960)

June 4, 2012: The tower was removed due to advanced state of decay.

SKOOKUM PRAIRIE

Umpqua National Forest - 28S-4E-15

August 1940 - Umpqua National Forest (S.O.)

August 2, 1933: Panorama photos were taken by Birchall.

September 14, 1933: "A 10 x 10 lookout is to be constructed by the CCC before the snow flies. The 10 x 10 is the standard size for secondary lookouts." (Roseburg Chieftain)

Note: The water source was a stream about a quarter of a mile east of the lookout.

SMITH RIDGE

Umpqua National Forest - 28S-2W-25

1942 - Tiller Ranger District Collection

September 2007 - Ron Kemnow photo

1942: An L-4 lookout cab was constructed atop a short tower. The tower was enclosed to create a storage area.

STEAMBOAT POINT

Umpqua National Forest -251/2S-1E-33

TAFT MOUNTAIN

Umpqua National Forest - 27S-1W-10

TALLOW BUTTE

Umpqua National Forest - 29S-1E-34

TENAS PEAK

Umpqua National Forest - 26S-61/2E-08

1942 - Umpqua National Forest (S.O.)

1920's: The site was used as a lookout. No details found at this time.

1930's: At an undetermined date after 1936 a 20-foot round timber tower with an L-4 cab was erected.

TILLER RANGER STATION

Umpqua National Forest

2007 - Ron Kemnow photo

1985: This structure was moved from the Red Mountain lookout site. Originally constructed in 1928, was restored and is now used as an interpretive display on a small hill next to the Ranger Station.

TWIN LAKES MOUNTAIN

Umpqua National Forest - 27S-2E-17

no date - Douglas County Museum

No date - Umpqua National Forest (S.O.)

c.1922: The lookout consisted of five wood posts supporting a 12-foot high lookout tree platform.

July 21, 1930: "A new tower, constructed of poles cut on the ground, has been erected on Twin Lakes Mountain." (Roseburg News Review)

August 15 & 16, 1933: Panorama photos were taken by Cooper and Sarlin.

c.1938: A 15-foot lookout tower with a gable roofed cab was constructed.

1962: The lookout was removed.

UMPQUA HOT SPRINGS

Umpqua National Forest - 26S-4E-17

WARDS BUTTE

Douglas FPA - 21S-4W-15

WATSON BUTTE

Umpqua National Forest - 26S-5E-19

WHITE ROCK

Douglas FPA - 28S-3W-22

no date - Douglas FPA Collection

no date - Douglas FPA Collection

August 6, 1944 - Umpqua National Forest (S.O.)

August 6, 1944 - Umpqua National Forest (S.O.)

WINDY CAMP

Umpqua National Forest - 29S-2W-17

1940 - Tiller Ranger District Collection

1980 - Douglas FPA Collection

1922: A 10x12 log, one room dwelling with a shake roof was constructed for a cost of $90.00. The lookout was 50 feet above the ground in a tree.

August 13, 1933: Panorama photos were taken by Moe and Birchall.

September 14, 1933: "A 14x14 lookout to be constructed by the CCC before the snow flies. The 14x14 is the standard size for primary lookouts." (Roseburg Chieftain)

1933: A 30-foot round fir pole tower with an L-4 cab was constructed.

1937: A 12x24 pole barn with two stalls was constructed. This shake roof structure cost $64.36.